Domestic Brands Win 11 Categories in AutoPacific’s 2011 Ideal Vehicle Awards

TUSTIN, CA – Automotive research company AutoPacific revealed its 2011 Ideal Vehicle Awards (IVA). These awards reflect the survey opinions of more than 72,000 individuals who purchased a 2011-MY vehicle.

Although this study was consumer-focused, a number of common fleet vehicles appeared in AutoPacific’s 2011 list, as you'll see below. AutoPacific splits the list into two sections, Passenger Cars and Pickup, SUV & Minivans.

AutoPacific said it bases its IVAs on owners’ ratings of their new 2011 model-year cars and trucks. The survey covers 15 vehicle attributes ranging from power and acceleration to interior space.

The company said that out of 24 (IVA) categories, domestic brands won 11 segments, European brands seven, and Asian brands six.

Among the Detroit Three, Ford came away with seven awards, Chrysler with three, and General Motors with two for its Cadillac brand. Chrysler also took the distinction of winning the overall award for the IVA mainstream/popular brand category.

Other multi-award winners included Volvo, which earned three awards, Porsche with two, Hyundai with two, and Toyota with two. Automakers that garnered a single award include Honda, Mercedes, Subaru, and Volkswagen.

AutoPacific’s awards are as follows:

Passenger Cars:

• Premium Luxury Car: Mercedes-Benz E-Class
• Aspirational Luxury Car: Volvo S60
• Large Car: Hyundai Azera
• Luxury Mid-Size Car: Lincoln MKZ
• Premium Mid-Size Car: Ford Fusion
• Mid-Size Car: Subaru Legacy
• Premium Compact Car: Volvo C30
• Compact Car: Hyundai Elantra
• Sports Car: Porsche 911
• Sporty Car: Dodge Challenger
• Hybrid Car: Ford Fusion Hybrid

Pickups, SUVs & Minivans:

• Large Light-Duty Pickup: Ford F-150
• Large Heavy-Duty Pickup: Ford Super Duty
• Compact Pickup: Honda Ridgeline
• Luxury Sport Utility: Cadillac Escalade
• Large Sport Utility: Toyota Sequoia
• Mid-Size Sport Utility: Jeep Grand Cherokee
• Premium Luxury Crossover SUV: Porsche Cayenne
• Luxury Crossover SUV: Volvo XC70
• Large Crossover SUV: Ford Flex
• Premium Mid-Size Crossover SUV: Ford Explorer
• Mid-Size Crossover SUV: Toyota RAV4
• Compact Crossover SUV: Volkswagen Tiguan
• Minivan: Chrysler Town & Country

Other Awards:

• Mainstream/Popular Brand Award: Chrysler
• Premium Brand Award - Porsche
• Overall Winner: Porsche 911
• Overall Brand Winner: Porsche

The specific categories AutoPacific covers include the following: exterior styling, exterior size, passenger roominess, cargo space, driver's seat comfort, driver’s seat visibility, info/entertainment technology, interior lighting, power and acceleration, ease of getting in and out, interior storage compartments, ride, handling, safety features, and tires and wheels.